Iron/air batteries, having flat, bifunctional air electrodes and vertical cell configurations, are well known, and are taught by Buzzelli, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,901. Circulation of electrolyte to cool batteries and diminish polarization is also known in the art. Imschenetzky, in U.S. Pat. No. 400,215, taught continuous, upward circulation of electrolyte, between flat, vertically disposed zinc and carbon electrode plates; and Chiku, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,561, taught continuous, pump forced, diagonal upward circulation of electrolyte, around flat, vertically disposed zinc/air electrodes.
Vertical, metal/air battery cell configurations, with either gravity fed or pump forced electrolyte circulation tend to have inadequate electrolyte availability, with resultant limited life, and air electrode delamination caused by the hydrostatic pressure of the electrolyte. Dengler, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,774, taught continuous, horizontal circulation of fuel-electrolyte, such as butene-KOH, between a flat, horizontally disposed air electrode and a flat, horizontally disposed floating anode, in a fuel cell. Such a design would not be particularly compact, and would provide problems in terms of electrical connections.
What is needed, is a method of operating a metal/air battery, having a compact, flat, stationary electrode configuration, which would provide more uniform electrolyte availability, more efficient gas removal, and ease of removal of dislodged active material particles, while providing power rates of about 25 W/lb. to 40 W/lb. without air electrode delamination.